dear emmy.

dear emmy,

i love squeezing you.  you are honestly the cutest little thing; i feel like i can't get enough of you.  you make me laugh all the time; you are just my cheerful girl, my little clown, my happy-go-lucky baby (except for when it comes to food!  then you mean business).

last week was a rough one.  you were SO fussy, which is very unlike your personality.  you had a fever on and off for a couple of days, but i just blamed it on teeth.  you also had some shots a couple weeks before that, and your doctor told me you could have a late reaction.  you were just not happy!  last weekend was the liver walk in portland that our family and several friends walked in memory of bampy.  daddy had gone on a fishing trip friday night, so saturday morning i packed us all up and drove about 45 minutes to meet him.  you were awesome saturday morning, playing and back to your happy self.  the minute we got in the car, you screamed almost the whole way to get daddy.  we took a break to give you a snack (food can always put you in a good mood!) but once we were back on the road, you screamed almost the entire way to portland.  no good.  it was a bit stressful with you that weekend; you just were not happy and mama's patience was wearing thin!  monday morning i took you to the doctor and found out you had a double ear infection!!!!  you hadn't pulled on your ears or anything... i felt so bad :(  just glad to get you back to your happy self!

you honestly crack me up, ems.  everything you do is funny and cute; even when you're being a pest to your sister.  i know i shouldn't, but i can't help but turn my head and laugh.  when you're trying to get her attention, you'll crawl right up to her and swipe at her.  you also love to sit right next to her and pull her hair repeatedly, just waiting for a reaction.  bampy would say "you are a little imp!"

you also do this awesome bounce thing; it's your preferred method of getting around.  you get on your knees and just hop and bounce wherever you want to go.  it's the best thing ever.  i never want to forget the look on your face while you do it; huge smile, so proud of yourself!

you also love music.  anytime you hear it, you start to dance.  you'll sway and say "dancin, dancin" (in your own way) and it makes you so happy.  you also love to sit on your knees and sway all the way over til one hand is on the ground, and you'll push off it and sway to the other side, and then push off that hand.  it's awesome.

while we were in portland you took about 5 steps!  out of the blue!  you hadn't really done that much before.  daddy and i were so excited!  since then, you've been walking more and more.  you still prefer to crawl or "bounce", but you've been taking quite a few steps, walking up and down the halllway and across the living room!  when you fall, you always look back over your shoulder just waiting for me to cheer for you.  it's so cute :)

you also took your first swim at our hotel in portland.  daddy was in the pool with bella and aunt holly took you down to watch them.  when i came down a few minutes later, you were in the pool with them!  daddy said that you were so determined to get in the water that they just stripped you down to your diaper and let you go.  you were loving it.  and so brave; you kept trying to swim right out of daddy's arms!

you're getting picky-er with what you'll eat, which makes me so sad.  you used to eat anything and everything we put in front of you.  your favorite--hands down--is macaroni and cheese.  you take it by the handful and just shovel it in!  you also love fruit!  bananas are your favorite.  but you also love blueberries, kiwi, apples, grapes... you name it.  you'll put veggies in your mouth, but i always find them on the floor afterwards.  you chew 'em up, and spit 'em out, girl!

you LOVE your sister.  it's the sweetest thing.  and she's really sweet to you most of the time!  you love to watch her, and she makes you laugh like no one else.  today i needed to pick up the kitchen and i had to barricade the doorway so you would stay out!  i asked bella to play with you while i cleaned it up and i could hear her say "come on, ems!  let's go play in my room!" and off you went, happily bouncing down the hallway.  you guys played and giggled and put every pillow from bella's room into the hallway.  when it got quiet, i found you had shut yourselves in mama and daddy's room and were playing in there.  you are such cute sisters.  i pray that you will always love each other and become the best of friends.  having a sister is such a sweet gift, ems.  you are very blessed to have bella, and she is blessed to have you.  don't ever forget that!

you also love my phone.  i have an app on there with a cute little cat that repeats whatever sounds she hears. your face lights right up and your eyes get big and wide as you shriek and flap your arms like crazy whenever you see her.  so, she shrieks back, then you shriek again... and on and on it goes.  it's so cute.  at your one year doctor's appointment we had been waiting on dr. ann for almost an hour.  you were starting to get antsy, so i got out my phone.  you were LOVING it!  you would take my thumb and run it over the cat because you figured out she purrs when she's pet.  it was awesome.  after a few minutes, i put the phone away and got out a book they gave you at your appointment.  you started taking my thumb and doing the same thing; running it over the pictures of the children in your book.  when they didn't talk back or move, you got very frustrated and started shrieking your disapproval.  so funny.  classic baby of the 2000's.

i still get so excited to go get you up from your crib.  the other day, i was about to go on a run and you were still sleeping.  as i was about to leave i could hear you talking.  daddy told me to go ahead, that he would get you... but i told him "i really just want to go get her and squeeze her!"  i had been with you all day; some days i just can't get enough of your cuteness!!

you love to "talk on the phone"; if we say "hi!" you'll put your hand up to your ear and start jibber jabbering.  it's awesome.  then you'll wave and say "bye bye".  your favorite word is dada, and you also love saying mama and bella.  we were skyping with nonnie and papa the other night and you repeatedly said "papa papa" even long after we had said goodbye.  so cute.

i just love you so much, ems.  i just always want to pick you up, hold you, hug you and just cover your cheeks with a thousand kisses.  i think you are our last baby, so i especially hold on to these sweet moments while i can still think of you as my little one.  you're growing up before my very eyes and i want so badly to slow time down; to capture so many precious memories.  many, many times i'll just sit back, watching you and bella play and just exhale... my heart feeling so full... remembering to treasure these times.

i can't even describe how much i love you and how excited i am to continue to watch your little personality unfold.  you bring SUCH joy to our lives, i am just beyond thankful for you, my little sweet pumpkin!  i hope you will always always know and feel just how MUCH you are loved.  there is no one else like you, ems.  you are one of a kind and we are SO blessed that you are ours.  you have made our lives happier and brighter just by being you.

love you to the moon and back (and back again),
mama